Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1887-01-07
The Cashiers Romance.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

story" said Fanny Tullau. 81 can
see it in the expression OF her face.
only wish l had courage to ask her
about it."
1t was dull, rainy day-one Of the
bleak premonitors of the equinoctiaI
storm-and as there was not much doing |
at the store, the girls took longer than
usual at their lunch.
Fanny sat on packing box, turne /
upside down, under the stairway that
led down to the shipping room" slowly
munching her soda-crackers and smoked
beef, and Ella Hay, her companion at
the kid-glove counter, was nestled at her
feet, eating bread and butter and rasp.
berry jam, with the heartiest of appettcs.
AT the same moment, Miss Verona,
the cashier, came lightly down the stairs
in her dark-bue serge gown, and her
satin-brown braids of hair shining in the
oblique light of the dust-dimmed win
dow. She caught Fanny's last sentences,
and paused abruptly.
"To ask whom" said she. "Who has
got a story"
And Fanny spurred on by a sudden
upward blaze Of courage, answered:
"Youw
Miss Verona smilel. In response, her
face was cold and grave; but when it
lighted up with that rare smile, it was
absolutely beautiful. Instead Of beng
offended, however she sat chcerfully
down on the other half of the packing
box.
"You are right, Miss Tullan," said
she. Il have got story, else | never
should have been in this store. l wasn't
brought up to work, and don't like to
sit behind a cashiers desl from morning
until night any better than other people
Fanny runan's great, gray ay4s--a
wide.
"oh. Miss Verona" said she. "won't
you tell it to us2
"Of course l will, +" said the cashier.
''Why shouldn't II You were very kind
to me, Fanny Tullan, when first l came.
lonesome and inexperienced, to the
store. 1t would be hard indeed if |
couldn't do as much to please and amuse
you.'
The rain pattered against the dust
blurred window; the wind, shrieking
around the corner, made miniature
maclstrom of shavings and bits of paper
IN the brick shaft which afforded the
only prospect; and Fanny Tullan and
her friend, Miss Hay, crept up closer to
Miss Verona to hear her words.
"Of course, you have already sur
missed that | am reduced lady," said
she. "That goes without saying. But
you would scarcely have imagined that /
was once an heircss. Hornblower
Habitat was tina name of the p!acc-a
beautiful old house; down by the sea.
Oh, loved that house and nowI
never shall see it any more.
Her lips quivercd; the tears came into
her eyes for second, and then she went
bravely on:
"But didn't know until quite lately
that there was lawsuit about Horn
blower Hall; that some other branch Of
the family believed that they had
better right to it than my mother
aud l. Mamma never told me
about it; and, luckily, it was
not until after her death that that hate
fal lawyers letter came The letter, l
mean, that notified me with mock re-
spect that was worse than any amount of
downright influence would have been,
that Hornblower Hall belonged to my
fourth or fifth cousin instead of me.
There was something in it about my not
being disturbed in the occupancy, if it
suited me to remain, but could listen
to no such belittIing proposition as that.
tore the letter into pieces, and packed
my personal belongings into one little
trunk and came away. / took
refuge with relative of my mother, who
lives, in very quiet way, on Dalston
street, and it was she that helped me to
get this situation; and there is nv
story"
'Thc beginning" said Fanny Tullan,
up the last crumb of her lunch,
"but not the end."
"Why not the end9"
"oh, because you'll sec that the end
Will be that you'll somehow 60 back to
HornbIower Hall and the cousin will be
stately, dark eyed aristocrat, who will
fall headlong iu love with you at first
sight, nodded Fanny.
Miss Verona laughed in spite Of her
self.
Then he may fall out again." said
she. 'There goes the bell. l must get
back to work-aud so must you child
ieni the fairy story is over; the work-a-
day hour is beginning once more.n
1t was still raining hard when Miss
Verona came out into the dreary autumn
dusk, where the wet pools glistened on
the sidewalks, and the gas lamps shone
'uikily through the mist.
From the other side of the street a
shadow like figure oDnrooobod tho